Dr. L. Matthew Schwartz by L. Matthew Schwartz, MD, FAAPM&R Local doctor L. Matthew Schwartz tackles your reader questions about health every two weeks. Please feel free to ask him any question …
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by L. Matthew Schwartz, MD, FAAPM&R
Local doctor L. Matthew Schwartz tackles your reader questions about health every two weeks. Please feel free to ask him any question about physical medicine, pain and integrative holistic medicine or wellness. Send questions to askthedoc@chestnuthilllocal.com
Dr. Schwartz’s advice is informational and not intended to be a substitute for a consultation with your primary doctor.
What can I do to keep myself organized with respect to my health, so I get the most from my health care practitioners? – Carolyn D.
Between selecting a health insurance plan, getting pre-authorizations and referrals, and clearing your busy scheduled to seek care, navigating the health care system can be dizzying. So what can we do to make taking care of ourselves simpler and more efficient?
Type a medical summary and keep it with you in your wallet. It should chronologically list:
In addition to having your information handy, you can organize your health priorities and create a plan for success, a pact with yourself to:
A little planning and creativity and devotion to yourself will pay dividends and simplify your self-care.
I feel somewhat anxious and depressed, but I don't think I need a psychologist or psychiatrist yet. What can I do naturally? -- Sofia B.
Our fast-paced technologically-propelled socially-disconnected and competitive lifestyle, as a backdrop, may simply represent our fear of “missing out.” How can we bottle the feeling we have after a vacation and take a sip each day to keep that carefree mood from vanishing?
There are multiple causes of anxiety and depression that are quite common and most of us experience:
Well that’s quite a list! What can I do about all of that?
Let’s face it! We’re all feeling the pinch. Mindfulness, gratitude, and self-forgiveness are vital.
I have had chronic and recurring lower back pain for a long time. I want to try a chiropractor but I heard this can cause more harm than good. What should I do? – Kevin M.
Low back pain is very common. Most people get it at some point in their lives. The lumbosacral spine is a busy place and takes a lot of strain. When we don't maintain its health, we feel it, and sometimes it perpetually invades our consciousness.
Sources of low back pain include strains and sprains of the muscles and ligaments, muscular imbalance, scoliosis, herniated discs in younger people, spinal arthritis in older people (involving the discs and facet joints), inflammation of the sacroiliac joints, abnormalities of abdominal or pelvic organs with referred pain, spinal vertebral fractures in the elderly from osteoporosis, hip arthritis, spinal fracture/tumor/infection, or perhaps vitamin D deficiency, hypothyroidism, or sensitivity to gluten.
Additional biomechanical causes of low back pain include imprudent postures (with vocational and avocational pursuit) with inappropriate bending and twisting, trauma, or degenerative problems. Most of the time, self-care leads to total resolution of back problems.
What is chiropractic? It is the practice of manual therapy that involves manipulation of muscles, ligaments, joints, and tendons around the spine to decrease traction or compression on nerves to restore normal posture, movement, and activity tolerance and, hopefully, decrease pain.
Chiropractic is safe except if underlying pathology has not been ruled out (as above). At first, low velocity, high amplitude manipulations can stretch taut muscles. Chiropractors use treatment tables and manual manipulation. The goal is to rebalance alignment gently. Higher velocity, lower amplitude adjustments could be considered. Chiropractors very in skill, like in any profession. Make sure that your chiropractor asks enough questions and does a thorough examination, explaining a progressive plan. Be concerned if any chiropractor uses a cookie-cutter approach with whatever problem is presented. If a serious diagnosis is missed, pain can be increased and instability can occur from a fracture if present. In addition, a delay in diagnosis of a tumor or infection is a possibility.
So what is the appropriate progression of intervention?
A practical approach to low back pain can get you (and your) back in action quickly.
Dr. Schwartz practices physical, pain and integrative medicine in Wyndmoor. He is board certified in these specialty fields. He trained at Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Thomas Jefferson University. For more, see MyHealth360.org